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State of The Industry

Ward Atkinson

January 21, 2010
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Activity

The refrigerant issue

 R-134a

 HFO-1234yf

The lubricant issue

SNAP Activity

 Retrofitting R-134a fleet

 Replacement refrigerants
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State of Minnesota

Regulatory Activity

Effective January 1, 2009 Report

New Vehicle Mobile A/C R-134a

Emissions (SAE J2727)

2009 MY Average single evaporator

system refrigerant loss:

(Average of A/C systems offered by vehicle product line)

 2.3% 14.1 Grams (0.49 ounce) per year

2009 MY Average multi - evaporator

system refrigerant loss:

(Average of A/C systems offered by vehicle product line)

 1.9% 18.3 Grams (0.64 ounce) per year
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Service Issues R-134a

Systems have less refrigerant leakage

 Will require less service

System refrigerant charges are less

 Knowing amount of system charge is critical

 To assure proper system operation:

 Refrigerant removal and recharge is required

“Top off” service is not acceptable

New Service Equipment meeting SAE J2788

standard will reduce emissions and improve

charging accuracy
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New Refrigerant

HFO-1234yf

HFO-1234yf

 System operating pressures are similar to an

R134a system

 It is mildly flammable

 Work area must have proper ventilation

 Handling and storage of cylinders must meet

OSHA requirements

 High energy required for ignition

 Very few vehicle sources will ignite refrigerant

 Open flame will ignite
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New Refrigerant

HFO-1234yf

New Service Equipment [J2843 – J2851]

New Technician Certification HFO-1234yf

[J2845]

 Safety Issues

 Refrigerant handling

 OSHA Requirements

 Workspace

 Handling and storage of containers

 Proper Service Procedures
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New Refrigerant

HFO-1234yf

State Use Regulations

Flammability

System refrigerant

contamination issues

Effects are unknown when mixing

R-134a and other SNAP listed

refrigerants with HFO-1234yf
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HFO-1234yf Systems

 System Components

 Most R-134a hose and seal materials are

compatible with HFO-1234yf systems

 Lubricant compatibility

 PAG with different additives for belt driven

compressors

 Carry over POE for electric compressors

 Mixing of HFO1234yf and R-134a

 Should not be mixed due to mild flammability

 Oils for HFO1234yf and R134a are similar but

mixing impact is unknown
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HFO-1234yf Systems

HFO-1234yf System

Differences

 New Compressors

 Control of oil

circulation

 Potential addition of

Internal Heat

Exchanger between

high and low side in

plumbing

 New Service Fittings
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HFO-1234yf Refrigerant Charging

Systems will minimize refrigerant charge

 Knowing amount of system charge is critical

 Overcharging may result in safety and

performance concerns

Systems will have less refrigerant

leakage

 Will require less service

No “Top off” refrigerant charging!!!!!!

 Refrigerant removal and proper charge is

required
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New standards for HFO-1234yf

 J2843 Recovery/recycle-Recharge

required

 Flammability issues

 System operation and performance

 J2851 for recovery only

 J2888 covers service hoses

 J2911 requires certification of equipment,

components, and technician training

 J2912 refrigerant identifiers

 J2913 Leak Detector

 Some HFC-134a leak detectors may not

Identify HFO-1234yf
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Lubricant Issue

Hybrid Vehicles with HV Electric Compressors...

 System oil charge can not exceed 1% oil crosscontamination

 PAG reduces POE’s resistivity (following slides)

 Vehicle’s HV Isolation may be compromised

 Loss Of Isolation may set Diagnostic Trouble Code’s

 No Sealants – performance enhancement chemicals – flushing solvents

should be used in the system

 Presently use dedicated refrigerant charge equipment to

insure prevention of oil cross-contamination [hose residue]

 No oil or dye injection

 SAE J2788-H Recovery/recycle charge ... is developed

 Requires refrigerant delivery with < 0.1% (1000ppm) crosscontamination

 Service Equipment Not allowed to have oil or dye injection

capability
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Inverter

U V W

Refrigerant

Positive Terminal

Negative Terminal

Like Capacitor which

refrigerant become

the conductor

Motor

3 phase terminals

A

(500V)

Electric Compressor
14 14

Static Resistance measured between HV terminal and Compressor Case w/

DC500V Mega-tester (full liquid condition)

Electric Compressor

ND11 = POE

ND8 = PAG
Field Coupled Hose

Assemblies

Covered by revised SAE J2064

Updated to cover both HFO-1234yf

and R-134a

Certification required

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R-134a and HFO-1234yf

Refrigerant Identification

 SAE J2912 Establishes specifications to

identify relatively pure refrigerant HFC134a (R-134a) and HFO-1234yf (R-1234yf)

from mixtures of refrigerants (HFC, HCFC,

CFC, hydrocarbons, etc.)

 In a refrigerant supply tank, or MAC system

prior to recovering/recycling the refrigerant or

prior to charging an A/C system from a

refrigerant container

 The identifier also must identify and display

volume of non-condensable gases, such as air
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HFO-1234yf Leak Detectors

SAE J2913 Establishes requirements

for identification of HFO-1234yf an

A2 flammable refrigerant

Standard establishes minimum

performance criteria for a modern

class of electronic probe-type leak

detectors
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HFO-1234yf Recovery Recycle

Charging Equipment – J2843

 Ventilation of Equipment Enclosure

 2 Intake grills to maintain 6 air change per hour

flow to maximize cross flow within the cabinet

 Equipment Operating Performance

Expectations

 The equipment will have a

 vacuum decay leak check

 followed by a partial pressurization and

pressure decay leak test

 The MAC system cannot be charged

without successfully completing both leak

tests
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HFO-1234yf Recovery Recycle

Charging Equipment – J2843

 When in a deep vacuum mode if a system leak

is greater than an equivalent of 0.3

grams/second the charging procedure will be

locked out and prevent charging refrigerant

 This leak rate is more than a typical evaporator

corrosion leak

 This method cannot be used for determining if the system

has an evaporator leak

 With the system evacuated to at least minus

675 mm. Hg. (minus 26.6 in Hg) and in the

holding mode for 5 minutes if the pressure

rise is more than 15 mm. Hg (26 in Hg) the

system cannot be charged
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HFO-1234yf Recovery Recycle

Charging Equipment – J2843

 Upon passing steps 1 & 2 10% of the

programmed system charge is installed in the

system

 The pressure shall not decay more than 10% in

5 minutes

 If more than a 10% pressure decay

 Equipment will lock out all operation except

recovery and evacuation

 The user will be alerted to recover and check

for a leak

 System leak detection can be accomplished with

this limited charge
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New Vehicle Labels

 SAE J639 Safety

Standards for Motor

Vehicle Refrigerant Vapor

Compression Systems

R-134a

HFO-1234yf

J2842 Certification for OEM Mobile Air

Conditioning Evaporator and Service

Replacements

J2845 Technician Training for Safe

Service and Containment of

Refrigerants
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New System Design

Requirements [HFO-1234yf]

Refrigerant leakage into passenger

compartment

SAE J2842 Certified New and

Replacement Evaporator Assemblies

 Corrosion and structure requirements
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J2842 Certification for OEM Mobile Air

Conditioning Evaporator and Service

Replacements

For Safety

 Leaking evaporators shall only be new

 No evaporator repairs are allowed

 No evaporators can be used from another

system [no salvage or scrap systems]

 All replacement evaporators shall be

certified to meet SAE J2842

 Includes all OEM and Aftermarket

replacements

 Have the required certification label
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SAE J2911 Certification Requirements For

System Components, Service Equipment

and Technicians

 Certification provides a means to assure a

customer or Regulatory Agency

 That the equipment delivers the advertised

performance

 Testing can be done by Manufacturer or laboratory

 That the technician use recommended

procedures for service and repair of MAC

systems

 Testing can be done by a qualified organization

 SAE RESPONSIBILITY

 Maintain a public Data Repository of the

certification data submitted

 Each Standard has appropriate certification

requirements
SNAP Activity

 Retrofitting of R-134a fleet to another

SNAP refrigerant

 No Industry or SAE Standards

 No recovery of recycle equipment

 Potential for system contamination and

failures of polymers [hoses – seals]

 R-12 fleet retrofitted to a SNAP refrigerant

was less than 15% [MACS Filed Surveys]

 38% of retrofitted system did not meet EPA 609

requirements

 Service fittings – pressure switches – labels were

installed
SNAP Refrigerants

Refrigerant Cost 2009 vs. 1997

$0

$5

$10

$15

$20

$25

FRIGC FR-12 FREEZONE

RB-276

GHG-X-4

#Auto

FrostChill-It R414A

ICOR #Hot

ShotKar

KoolR-414B

Freeze-12 GHG

#McCoolR406A

R-134a R-12

Refrigerants

C

o

st p

er p

ound (Whole

s

ale

v

olum

e)

2009 1997

HFO-1234yf

Other SNAP

Listed

refrigerants R-134a

R-12 Cost over

12 years
SNAP Activity

Use of SNAP refrigerants in

HFO-1234yf systems

 HFO-1234yf availability

 HFO-1234yf cost

 No Industry or SAE Standards

 Potential for system contamination and

failures of polymers [hoses – seals]

 Lubricant compatibility

 System cooling performance
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